Two hospitalized after Somerset Borough shooting

April 14, 2011|MICHELLE GANASSI | Daily American Staff Writer

SOMERSET BOROUGH - — Two men were in critical condition after an early Thursday morning shooting in Somerset Borough.

Borough police Chief Randy Cox said Samuel L. Taylor Jr., 39, of Allegheny County, and Brett Bailey, 24, of Washington County, were taken to Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center after the pair were involved in an apparent drug-related shooting.

Cox said around 3 p.m. that both men were still in critical condition. A nursing supervisor at the hospital said Thursday night that he could not release any information on either individual. Cambria County Coroner Dennis Kwiatkowski said that he had no information about the men.

Cox said Taylor and Bailey did not know each other but had mutual acquaintances in Somerset.

“Our initial indication is a drug deal is what brought these two individuals together,” Cox said.

Police were called to an apartment at 404 W. Main St. for a reported shooting at 2:07 a.m. When police arrived, they found Taylor lying on the floor. He had been shot in the chest and head. Police also noticed shell casings and large amounts of blood in the bedroom area of the apartment.

While at the apartment police received another call about a second gunshot victim located near the Union Street entrance to the Daily American, 334 W. Main St. Police found Bailey, who had been shot in the chest and arms.

“At this point the best information is that it was a shooting of two individuals,” he said.

On Thursday the apartment was guarded by a borough police officer while other officers, members of a state police forensics unit and troopers conducted an investigation.

The tenant who lives in the apartment was sleeping and her son was playing video games in the living room with Taylor. Around 2 a.m. she was awakened by gunshots. She fled to the bathroom, fearing for her safety. She heard her son a short time later at the door saying Taylor had been shot.

Bailey told police that he traveled to the apartment to buy drugs. A struggle ensued. Bailey claimed a male shot him and he continued to struggle and took a gun from another male, police said. Once Bailey had possession of the gun he shot Taylor, from whom he was attempting to purchase drugs, police said. Bailey fled from the house on foot.

Taylor was unconscious and did not make any statements to police, according to a police press release.

A revolver was found in the rear parking lot of 390 W. Main St. along with a wallet containing Taylor’s license. A backpack belonging to Taylor was also located on the property.

During the investigation police discovered that the gun was stolen from Meyersdale. Meyersdale Borough police had arrest warrants for two Somerset individuals in reference to the gun. Meyersdale Borough police responded to the home and took someone into custody. State police from Greensburg arrested the other individual at his workplace in Westmoreland County, police said. Additional details about the gun theft were not available Thursday evening.

“They became part of our investigation,” Cox said. “We’re just filling in the blanks on how the gun traveled from Meyersdale to Somerset.”

The Somerset Borough K-9 unit was used to search the apartment and the playground along Union Street. Cox said he would not comment on what the dog was searching for.

Individuals involved could be facing charges of drug violations, aggravated assault, attempted homicide, robbery and conspiracy depending on how the shooting victims fare.

Cox said the department has been placing an emphasis on drug activity for about six or seven years.

“Obviously, Somerset is no different from a lot of communities,” Cox said. “I can honestly say we’re not surprised.”

Some of the Daily American carriers were delayed in delivering the paper Thursday while police questioned them during their investigation.

“I want to thank the police for allowing us to get the product out the door,” Daily American Publisher Andy Bruns said. “Outside our door was a crime scene and some of our carriers’ vehicles were involved, delaying them in their normal routes.”

James Powell, Somerset, helps his wife, Crystal, deliver newspapers for the Daily American and called 911 to report one of the injured men.

Powell gave the following description of what happened: “He was walking toward the newspaper, tried to flag down someone on the road. He then walked back on the sidewalk, stopped at a house, knocked on a door and no one answered. That’s when I seen the blood on his shirt and I called 911. He came up and asked where the hospital was. The police arrested him and took him away.”

Powell said he was interviewed by police and noticed the officers found several hundred dollars on the shooting victim.

“It startled me at first when I seen him at my car and I was hoping he didn’t have a gun and pull it on me,” he said.

Brenda Burley also delivers papers for the Daily American. Police seized her car because Bailey had apparently touched the vehicle, leaving blood stains.

“I’d seen the cops had him in cuffs and he was shot up,” she said. “It was just really a scary thing to come out and see this at the Daily American.”

Jim Strait, a newspaper hauler, said he opened the back door and heard police officers yelling.

“Cops were there screaming, ‘Where’s the gun?’ and handcuffed them,” he said.